Drain tile jig



April 6, 1968 E. J. HUJBER 3,377,809

DRAIN TILE JIG Filed June 18, 1965 INVENTOR BY W W ATTORN EY United States Patent 3,377,809 DRAIN TILE JIG Edward J. Hujber, 2325 Pennington Road, Trenton, NJ. 08638 Filed June 18, 1965, Ser. No. 465,131 6 Claims. (Cl. 61-63) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A tool for temporarily assembling tile sections of a drainage system in an end-to-end relationship with a prescribed spacing maintained between adjacent sections. A series of gripping elements temporarily hold the sections against an elongated holder, cooperating with the holder in aligning the sections. The gripping elements serve to establish the prescribed spacing between adjacent sections, so that on detachment of the tool from the tile sections they will be in their properly spaced, installed positions in the drainage bed.

This invention relates to drain tile assemblies and means for locating and spacing such tile in a manner to assure accurate alignment, spacing or positioning thereof.

Drain tile are widely used in connection with sewage and drainage systems and for this purpose, the tile are generally supported on a drainage or percolation bed of stone, gravel or the like which also may be packed firmly about the sides of the tile. In order to afford the desired drainage or limited flow of liquid from the tile to the percolation bed, the individual tiles or sections thereof are spaced apart a predetermined distance so as to allow the liquid flowing through the system to flow outward between the ends of the tile into the drainage bed. Further in order to assure a uniform or controlled fiow of liquid from the tile and into the bed, it is desirable to space the ends of the tile uniform or predetermined distances apart. Moreover, the individual tiles in most instances should be arranged ina straight row and are inclined at a uniform angle so as to eliminate pockets, depressions or restrictions which would interfere with the flow or cause localized areas of excessive or insufficient drainage.

The placement of such tiles heretofore has been a time consuming operation requiring considerable care and experience in order to attain the desired uniformity or control of the drainage throughout the system. This is particularly true in laying drainage tile in or about homes or in other locations where it is to be covered with soil for lawns, gardens or about a house where trees, shrubbery or the like may be planted since repair or replacement of the tile then becomes extremely diflicult, expensive and unsightly or destructive.

In accordance with the present invention, these difficulties are overcome and means are provided which not only permit the placement of drainage tile quickly and accurately, but also eliminate the guess work and need for judgment and experience in laying and spacing the tile. Moreover, the tile are held in place during the operation of packing the stone or gravel about the tile so that the correct spacing and location of the tile is maintained after it has been placed in position.

These results are preferably attained by providing a jig or holder for the tile which serves to support and position the tile accurately while permitting a relatively large number of tile to be handled as a unit when laying the same. The holding device serves to locate the tile with their ends in uniform and properly spaced relation and to prevent displacement thereof during the operation of packing stone about the tile. The jig or holder can thereafter be removed from the tile for use in laying additional lengths or sections thereof with the result that Patented Apr. 16, 1968 an entire drainage system may be installed of time and at materially reduced expense.

Accordingly, the principal objects of the present invention are to reduce the cost and time required to lay drainage tile, to assure the proper placement, spacing and arrangement of drainage tile for attaining the desired percolation of liquid into a drainage bed, and to eliminate undesired variations in the distribution and flow of liquid through drainage tile.

A specific object of the invention is to provide novel holding and positioning means for drainage tile which are capable of supporting and locating a plurality of tile in a single operation and to prevent displacement of the tile during the operation of packing stone, gravel or the in a minimum r like about the tile after it has been placed in position.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will appear from the following description thereof wherein reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating a preferred construction embodying the present invention, as it appears when in use holding a plurality of drain tile, portions of the holder and tile being broken away;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional vieW through a portion of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, on the same scale as FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective illustrating a portion of an alternative construction embodying the present invention.

In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the device provided for laying drainage tile comprises an elongated holder 2 which presents a lower surface 4 for engagement with a plurality of tile 6 to be laid. The lower surface 4 of the holder may be shaped to conform to the outer surface of the tile and for this purpose, when the tile presents an octagonal outer surface, the holder is preferably provided with longitudinally extending, downwardly divergent edges 8 as shown. Tile holding members 10 are carried by the holder 2 and are located in longitudinally spaced relation lengthwise of the holder corresponding to the length of the tile 6 to be laid.

The the holding members 10 are each provided with a shaft 12 having a tile engaging element 14 secured to the lower end thereof adjacent the lower surface 4 of the holder and have a handle 16 or other manipulating means connected to the shaft 12 and located above the holder 2. The tile engaging elements 14 are urged toward the lower surface 4 of the holder by means of a spring 8 which surrounds the shaft 12 and bears against a Washer or plate 20 located on the upper surface of the holder 2 and against a shoulder or washer 22 carried by the shaft 12 and located near the handle 16.

The diameter of the shaft 12 of the holding member is preferably about equal to the desired spacing of the ends of the tile when properly laid for elfecting the desired drainage of liquid into the drainage of precolation bed 22 on which the tile are laid. The tile engaging elements 14 carried by the shaft 12 are of the same or lesser thickness than the shaft 12 but are elongated so as to present a T-head or cross member adjacent the lower end of the shaft whereby each cross member may be rotated by means of the handle 16 into a position wherein it extends lengthwise of the tile, and the oppositely extending tile engaging elements 14 of the T-head or cross member may be engaged with the inner surfaces of adjacent tiles 6 near the ends thereof. Further as shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the cross member may be tapered in cross section so as to present a narrow lower edge 24 which can be pushed down between the adjacent ends of the tile to force them apart and assure the proper spacing of the tile upon insertion of the tile holding elements therebetween.

In using the construction thus provided, the tile to be laid are positioned in end to end relation with the adjacent ends of the tile spaced apart the desired distance to assure proper flow of liquid outward from between the ends of the tile. The holder 2 is then placed over the tile which have been so arranged with the holding members 16 located in position to register with the spaces 26 between the adjacent ends of the tile 6. The handles 16 of the holding members are then turned to positions wherein the tile engaging elements 14 on the lower ends of the shaft 12 are parallel with and register with the ends of the tile. The handles and tile engaging elements 14 are then depressed against the action of the springs 18 to force the tile engaging element downward between the tile to insure the desired spacing thereof. When thus depressed, the cross member with its tile holding elements 14 is located within the tile as shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 2 and 3. The handles and tile engaging elements are then further depressed, sufficiently to permit them to clear the inner surfaces of the tile, and are now rotated to the full line or tile holding position of FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein the ends 28 of the tile engaging elements 14 are in position to bear against the rounded inner surfaces 30 of the adjacent tiles 6 near the ends of the tile. Upon release of the handles 16, the shafts 12 and tile engaging elements 14 are urged upward by the springs 18 so as to cause the tile engaging elements 14 to urge the tile *6 upward against the lower surface 4 of the holder 2 whereby the tile are securely held in place and properly spaced with respect to each other.

The tile thus assembled and held in place on the lower surface of the holder will be accurately aligned and properly spaced to assure the desired drainage or percolation of liquid from the tile. Moreover, the tile and holder are so assembled that a whole group of tile may be handled and placed in position as a unit for ease in laying the tile.

The stone, gravel or other material forming the percolation bed 22 can, therefore, be arranged in a trench or elsewhere as desired and will normally be located at a level or in a form such as that indicated by the dotted line 32 in FIG. 3. Thereafter, the assembled series of tile may be placed on the bed 22 and its inclination or the grade of its pitch can be established or corrected to be sure that the flow of liquid through the tile will be proper or regulated in such a manner to provide uniform or controlled drainage into the percolation bed 22. When this condition has been established, additional stone, gravel or percolation material 34 may be packed about the sides and upper portions of the assembled and positioned tile while the tile are still held in fixed relative positions by the holder 2. Moreover, the tile will be held against displacement even when the additional percolation material is tamped or vigorously packed in place.

When the assembled drainage tile has thus been properly placed and embedded in position, the handles 16 of the holding members 10 can be again depressed against the action of the springs 18 and turned back to the dotted line position of FIGS. 2 and 3. The holder 2 with its tile holding members 10 can then be lifted from the embedded tile without disturbing or displacing the tile and may be assembled with other tile for laying a further group of tile in the drainage bed.

The holder employed may be of any suitable or practical length for handling as many assembled tile as desired. In practice, it has been found that from 6 to 10 conventional drainage tile can be easily handled as a unit when using the holder of the present invention. It is generally preferable to mount the title holding members on the holder in a permanent manner and in fixed spaced relation corresponding to the conventional lengih of the drainage tile used in such systems. However,

shown in FIG. 1, the holder 2 may, if desired, be provided with slots 36 through which the elongated tile engaging elements of the holding members may be inserted and removed for application to and removal from the holder. Further as shown in FIG. 1, the holder 2 may be provided with a series of spaced slots as shown at 38 so as to permit the placement of the various holding members it} in alternative or predetermined spaced relation to hold drainage tile of any desired or various different lengths in assembled relation for placement in a drainage system.

In the alternative construction illustrated in FIG. 4, the tile engaging element 4t) carried by the shaft 42 of the tile holding member is in the form of a toggle or other elongated means pivotally connected to the lower end of the shaft at 44 intermediate the ends thereof. As shown, the end 46 of the element 49 is pointed or tapered for easy insertion between the ends of the tile whereas the end 48 of the element 4-0 is longer than the end 46 so that after insertion between the tile, it will tend to swing downward by gravity to a horizontal position. However, during insertion, the element 40 will be moved to the dotted line position of FIG. 4 wherein the pointed end 46 of the tile engaging member is presented for insertion between the tile and the longer end 48 embraces the shaft 42 of the tile holding member. After insertion, the longer and heavier end 48 of the tile engaging member will automatically swing down to the horizontal position shown in full lines in FIG. 4 for engagement with the inner surfaces of adjacent tiles in the assembly.

Constructions of this type may be either permanently or removably carried by the holder 2 of FIG. 1 and preferably are provided with spring means 50 surrounding shaft 42 for urging the shaft and tile engaging element outward to their tile engaging and retaining position. The tile engaging element 40 may be manipulated or turned by a handle 52 carried by the shaft 42 for rotating the title engaging element ib into position for removal from between the tile after the tile have been suitably assembled with a holder 54 or the like as described above in connection with the construction illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In practice, it is preferable to arrange the handle 16 on the shaft of the tile holding member in a plane which includes the tile engaging elements so that the position of the handle will indicate the position of the tile holding elements within the tile being laid. The operator then can know Whether the tile are properly held or are released from the tile even though the tile engaging elements are not visible from the exterior of the assembly or after the tile have been placed in position.

The alternative forms of the tile engaging elements illustrated in the drawing and the means employed for manipulating the same to move them into and out of tile holding position are typical of those which may be employed in the practice of the present invention. However, numerous other forms and constructions of the tile engaging elements may be employed and various means may be used to manipulate or move said elements into and out of a tile holding position.

In the constructions shown in the drawing, the drainage tile is illustrated as being octagonal in cross section. However, other shapes and types of drainage tile may be used and assembled for handling and placement if desired, and the shape of the holder in cross section may be varied in any preferred way to present a downwardly facing surface against which the tile may be urged for releasable engagement therewith.

These and other modifications and changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the various elements of the combination. In view thereof, it should be understood that the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing and described above are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Means for use in laying drainage tile comprising an elongated holder presenting a lower surface for engagement with a plurality of tile to be laid, tile holding members on said holder located in spaced relation lengthwise cf said holder, said tile holding members each being provided with a shaft extending through the holder and having tile engaging elements connected thereto and movable into and out of a tile holding position wherein the tile engaging elements engage the inner surfaces of adjacent tile located in contact with the lower surface of said holder, means carried by said tile holding members and located above the holder for moving said tile engaging elements into and out of said tile holding position, and spring means carried by the tile holding members for urging tile toward said lower surface of the elongated holder when said tile engaging elements are in said tile holding position, said tile engaging elements projecting in opposite directions from said shaft when in engagement with the inner surfaces of adjacent tile.

2. Means for use in laying drainage tile comprising an elongated holder presenting a lower surface for engagement with a plurality of tile to be laid, tile holding members on said holder located in spaced relation lengthwise of said holder, said tile holding members each being provided with a shaft extending through the holder and having tile engaging elements connected thereto and movable into and out of a tile holding position wherein the tile engaging elements engage the inner surfaces of adjacent tile located in contact with the lower surface of said holder, means carried by said tile holding members and located above the holder for moving said tile engaging elements into and out of said tile holding position, and spring means carried by the tile holding members for urging tile toward said lower surface of the elongated holder when said tile engaging elements are in said tile holding position, said tile engaging elements each being in the form of a T-shaped head fixedly secured to the lower end of the shaft, each of said tile holding members further including a handle connected to the upper end of the shaft thereof and located in a plane including said tile engaging elements, said handle and elements being rotatable together to move the tile engaging elements into and out of sa tile holding position.

3. A tool to facilitate the longitudinal alignment, spacing, and laying of pipe in drainage systems of the type wherein drain tile are in the form of lengths of pipe and are laid end-to-end with adjacent ends of adjacent lengths spaced apart at a predetermined distance, comprising:

(a) a holder having an elongated shape so as to overlie a series of drain tile arranged in end-to-end relation; and

(b) a plurality of tile holding members carried by said holder at locations spaced longitudinally thereof, each member including (1) a shaft extending through the holder and (2) an elongated tile-engaging element connected intermediate its ends to and having its respective end portions projecting laterally in opposite directions from the shaft to extend into and support from the holder adjacent pipe sections, the adjacent ends of which abut against and are uniformly spaced apart by the shaft, said element being mounted for adjustment between an operative pipe-gripping position in which it extends longitudinally of the holder in approximate longitudinal alignment with similarly positioned elements of other members, and an inoperative release position in which it extends transversely of the holder normally to the holder length.

4. A tool as in claim 3 wherein said element of each member is mounted on one end of the shaft of said member at one side of the holder, the shaft including a handle at its opposite end, at the opposite side of the holder, each element including resilient, yielding means interposed between the holder and handle and biasing the shaft in a direction to shift said element toward the holder.

5. A tool as in claim 4 wherein the holder includes abutment means extending longitudinally thereof in laterally spaced, parallel relation to the operatively positioned elements and located at the same side of the holder as said elements to cooperate therewith in maintaining in longitudinal alignment a series of drain tile sections engaged by said elements.

6. A tool as in claim 5 wherein each of said elements is of a maximum width not less than the thickness of the shaft to which it is connected, each of said elements tapering in cross section in a direction away from the shaft to which it is connected, whereby to spread adjacent drain tile sections a distance apart not less than the thickness of the shaft in response to insertion of the element between adjacent drain tile sections while in its inoperative position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 927,180 7/1909 Simmons 294-97 2,466,919 4/1949 Sykes 52749 X 2,564,357 8/1951 Falkner 29462 2,830,548 4/1958 McElvany 61-72.1 2,876,717 3/1959 Tetyak 6172.1 3,132,890 5/1964 Beaudet 29497 X 3,231,646 1/1966 Conder et al. 52-749 X EARL I. WITMER, Primary Examiner. 

